It would be easy to get the impression that the Covid Inquiry – with its relentless focus on bad language and offensive WhatsApp messages – has so far been a waste of time. But that’s not quite true: it’s been a massive waste of money too.
Today the Inquiry released its accounts for up to September 2023, which show that the cost of the lumbering investigation has already ballooned to £56 million, even though public hearings only began in June.
As you’d expect, the largest expenses so far have been on lawyers, with the Inquiry shelling out £19.6 million to keep 62 barristers (including 12 KCs) and a team of solicitors on the books. Another £11 million has then gone towards legal representation for key participants in the hearings.
As this army of lawyers is clearly not enough to keep the show on the road, the Inquiry has hired another 118 civil servants as well, who have cost the public purse £7 million.
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